Resolve and Motivation
by steph2009
Summary: Zuko and Mai angst fluff.
1. Resolve

Zuko closed his eyes. And instantly regretted it because images of Mai kept running through his head. Her sad face when he told her he was banished. The tears she cried of it. Even his banishment. Zuko shoved himself off the bed in anger, he'd hurt her, his father had hurt him, banished him until he could find and capture the Avatar. The mission seemed impossible even to him. But he had to try. If he ever wanted to see Mai again he was going to have to try. He thought back to the time when they were children all he'd have to do was walk into a room or say hi to her and she'd begin to blush. He thought to when he began noticing her.  
'Mai was training with her knives like she did everyday. In a pair of thin caprice and a belly shirt. Zuko had just walked outside to see and witnessed the sight from his balgony. He sat observing her. He noticed that she moved with a grace that she didn't have when she was a child. He then noticed something else she had developed shapely curves since their childhood. Sure they'd seen one another nearly everyday since Azula and her became friends but this was the first time he'd noticed how she'd grown up. She moved with agility and speed. She would surely kill him if she found out that he'd been watching her, but even with that knowledge in mind he couldn't pull himself away from the sight. "Ty Lee make it more of a challenge for me." He overheard Mai say. Ty Lee, Zuko knew, had a great talent for immobilizing her opponent making it impossible for them to move. Zuko felt the seat and walked over to the railing to get a better view. This was going to be one heck of a fight. Ty Lee got up and walked over to her. Azula sat looking on. Ty Lee and Mai began to spar. Mai dodged every blow Ty Lee tried to land easily. Ty Lee went faster, Mai dodged quicker. Then suddenly it was over. Ty Lee was pinned to a tree, by her sleeves and pant legs. Ty Lee started to pout, Azula clapped. Zuko sat down in amazement. Even he couldn't get past Ty Lee's hits that well. "Umm. Mai can you get me down?" Ty Lee asked looked at herself. Mai laughed and walked over and pulled them out one by one. "Thanks." Ty Lee said, after landing back on the ground. Azula looked at Mai then asked, "Hey Mai, I just got a good idea, why don't you spare with my dear brother Zuko? I'm sure he would prove somewhat harder." Azula said. Zuko nearly blanched at the idea of being dear to her. "I'll go get him." Azula started off. Zuko ran into his room and pretended to be busy reading the war scroll that his uncle gave him. "Oh, dear brother!" Azula called. "I was wondering if you would spar with Mai. She needs a bit of a challenge." She said now to the place where he sat. "If you don't agree I'll tell dad and Mai that you've been watching us again." Azula threatened. Knowing that she would Zuko got up and followed her to where Mai and Ty Lee sat. They looked as though they'd been in heavy conversation about something. When Zuko entered the room, he noticed that Mai blushed but Ty Lee just smiled at him. Mai stood up. Zuko took of his shirt. He laughed when Mai looked shocked and Ty Lee's mouth fell open. "Oh regain yourself girls! He's just my older brother. It's not like hot or anything." Azula snapped at her friends. Ty Lee continued to stare. Mai shook her head and got ready for the spar. Ty Lee and Azula watched as Zuko moved shot fire at Mai. She easily slide out of the way and while doing so threw a knife that he dodged but not without complication. Azula and Ty Lee sat up straight. Mai moved out of the way as fire came at her every time. Zuko was the only one who didn't notice what she was doing. She was moving closer to him with every flame. Azula and Ty Lee looked at one another both at the time thinking the same thing, he wasn't really concentrating on what she was doing he was more of as concentrating her. Suddenly as if reading their minds, Zuko realized what she was doing and began moving back and her advances became more and more profound as he began concentrating on her movements and not just her. Mai was fast but he was just a bit faster. Mai shocked them all when at the last moment she dodged an on going flame by flipping herself right on top of Zuko. "Let me give you a bit of advice Zuko. Don't underestimate your opponent and don't assume anything about the person you are fighting. They become your opponent they are no longer your friend. Especially if it's an Agni Ki." Mai said. Her eyes boring into his. Azula and Ty Lee sat dumbfounded at the fact that their friend would be as bold as to do that. Her voice, Zuko noted, was so passionate on that subject. Mai climbed off of him and faced her friends. "Oh and Ty Lee you owe me money now." She said with a smirk looking at Ty Lee. "You guys made a bet didn't you?" Azula asked with amusement. Ty Lee and Mai nodded. "Let me guess Mai bet that she would win the spar match and Ty Lee bet that Zuko would win the match. Now tell me Ty Lee did you think that the reason Zuko would win was because he is a firebender or is there something else that you want to tell Mai?" Zuko and Mai both saw what Azula was doing she was trying to turn Mai and Ty Lee against one another. Mai and Zuko both knew that nothing about Azula was ever innocent questioning. "I just thought that Zuko would win because he was a firebender. I have nothing against Mai and personally I think that she is excellent in her sport. Who did you think would win?" Ty Lee said. Mai and Zuko looked at one another for a brief moment. "In all honesty I didn't think my brother would win. Mai and he are evenly matched when it comes to fighting for now." Azula said. "I intend to change that." She said before shooting fire at Zuko and Mai both. Mai and Zuko both jumped of the way at the same time. Landing on opposite sides of each other. "Quick reflexes."'  
Zuko could never really understand why Mai hung around with Azula and why she still did. Zuko hated Azula. When Zuko had been banished they'd agreed that they would always be friends. 'Zuko and his uncle were walking out of the palace leaving with the sound of drum behind them. He had went to the dock only to be greeted by Mai. "Bye Zuko. Promise me that we'll still be friends." Mai said looking at him. Zuko noticed that there were unshed tears in her eyes. Zuko, without thinking, pulled Mai into a hug. He whispered into her hair, "We'll always be friends, Mai. There's nothing that could make me forget you." He released her from the hug after she hugged him back. "Bye Mai." Zuko said before stepping onto the ship with his Uncle not far behind. He looked back to see Mai still standing in the spot where he'd left her. He noticed that her shoulders were shaking at the ship sailed away.' Zuko had never thought that he'd live to see the day that Mai cried. But she cried the day he left. Only now did he wonder if that meant that she felt something more for him than just friendship. Only the reason to capture the Avatar faster. His resolve was set. He wouldn't stop until he got the Avatar, until he was back with Mai.


	2. Motivation

Mai sat on her bed in her house after Zuko had left. She had cried, he had made a promise she didn't know how long he'd be able to keep. Suddenly she jumped when there was a rough knock on her door. "Mai! Azula's here. She says it's time for your daily training!" Her father yelled through the door. Mai blanched, training once again with Azula. She already had enough burn marks from when she was to slow. She walked down into the training room to see Azula streching. "Hi, Azula." Mai said being to strech. Little did Azula know she was fighting with her composure. Zuko's banishment had somehow triggered something she didn't know it would have. "Hey Mai. Aren't you glad Zuko's gone?" Azula drawled. Mai knew that Azula was trying make her angry. Mai was angry but she kept her face neutral. "Can we start training now?" Mai said. almost blanching at what Azula just said, she was tore up about Zuko's leaving. How could she be glad that someone that she'd been crushing on since she met him had just been banished? For all Mai knew she'd never see Zuko again. But she was glad when she kept her voice neutral. Azula nodded. They began training.

Azula was pinning to the wall tightly she had a look of shock on her face. Mai had finally gotten the best of her. Like always though Mai was out of breathe and had minor burns. "You've got better." Azula said. "Now get me down." Mai let her and began to walk into her room. Azula was following her closely. "Azula it's late you need to go home and I need to sleep." Mai shocked herself as well as Azula with her bravery. "Alright I'll see you later." Azula said, she had a cold edge to her voice. Mai walked into her room and shut the door. She hissed each time the gel hit her burns. Azula had gotten her a couple of times but she'd one in the end. Vaugely she wondered if Zuko's eye must have felt like her leg and waist are feeling now. But she shook her head no these are minor his, his is going to leave a scar. She thought back to the look on his face when he walked down the boat he looked so forlone and angry as well as not by first or second look sad. A sob racked her body. In that moment she realized that she loved Zuko. "I'm going to be worthly of you someday Zuko. Even if I have cross Azula trying." Mai said. Knowing what her statement meant, and that was that she was in love with him. In that moment, she knew her motivation. 


End file.
